Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Homily

1st Reading: Rom 12:9-16

Responsorial Psalm: Is 22:2-6

Gospel: Luke 1:39-56

Yesterday following morning Mass I was given a prayer blanket from the Saint Catherine's guild of this parish. It is very moving to think that these women, this daily Mass community, and countless numbers of other people keep me in their prayers as the day of my ordination to the priesthood quickly approaches. Prayer is indeed a very powerful thing and through symbols such as this blanket we show our faith in it and our desire to spread our love with other people who we are keeping in our prayers.

Today we celebrate the Visitation where Mary went with haste to be with Elizabeth. Each time that we enter into prayer we go with haste to be with those who we are keeping in prayer. It is through the power of prayer that we bring the concern that Mary had for Elizabeth into the world. Through Mary's humble concern she brought her son, Jesus Christ, into contact with the man that would prepare the way of the Lord in John the Baptist. Upon Christ's approach this child leaped with joy within the womb of his mother, Elizabeth. We to join with John the Baptist's joy as we enter into this deep relationship with Christ when we draw closer and closer to Him in prayer.

Mary, Elizabeth, and John the Baptist are all great examples of how we can persevere in prayer. Mary is the humble mother who accepted the will of God into her life and bore the Christ child to the world. In her Magnificat she never called herself deserving of this great gift. Elizabeth, though barren, was given the miracle of a child as her prayers were answered. She understood and believed that the child within the womb of Mary was indeed the savior of the world. John the Baptist, only a child, revealed that this was the man whom everyone must come to believe in. From these three figures from this Gospel passage we see how everyone is pointing towards the Messiah that has come into the world. Our prayers should draw us closer to this same Messiah. Glancing upon this blanket I know that the hands that made it wanted me to see the Messiah always present in the ministry that I will give to the Church. I pray that when we join along the path of the Visitation that we will always reveal the reality of Christ into our lives and that of those in the whole world.